Aphytis melinusIdentification tip:Aphytis parasites have
a yellowish abdomen and thorax and a triangle of three red
eye spots on top their broad heads. In comparison with male
scales, Aphytis have shorter antennae, bulging
eyes and no dark bar.

Aphytis (left) and Metaphycus luteolus (right) Identification tip:Metaphycus species are
most likely to be trapped when their soft scale hosts (citricola
scale, brown soft, and black scale) are abundant. Relative
abundance helps to distinguish species as reliable
identification characters can be difficult to see on
tiny wasps.

Encarsia perniciosiIdentification tip:Encarsia and Comperiella are
relatively dark parasites of California red
scale in comparison with the lighter-colored Aphytis
melinus. In comparison with Comperiella,Encarsia is
smaller and does not have white head stripes.

Comperiella bifasciataIdentification tip:Comperiella adults are mostly black.
The female has white head stripes and contrasting dark
and pale areas on the wings. The Comperiella male lacks
such distinct head stripes.

Thrips

Note that thrips' sizes below are not shown
on the same relative scale.

Bean thripsIdentification tip: Adult bean thrips have a
dark grayish to black body. Their legs and antennae are banded
light and dark, which is visible under magnification (shown
here). Their forewings have two dark and two pale bands visible
under magnification (not visible here). Bean thrips may warrant management in navel oranges that are exported.

Greenhouse thripsIdentification tip: Usually observed
only in coastal citrus, the adult greenhouse thrips
is black with entirely pale wings. A black phase of
western flower thrips looks very similar, but when
trapped in citrus western flower thrips is usually
orange to brownish, resembling citrus thrips.

Banded thrips, Aeolothrips spp. (natural enemy) Identification tip: Adults have a black
body and black and white wings. In this species,
wing bands alternate crosswise to the body. Other Aeolothrips species
have wing bands oriented lengthwise or a combination
of crosswise and lengthwise bands. Also called
banded-wing thrips, these beneficial predators
are most often trapped when their pest mite and
thrips prey are abundant.

Citrus thrips femaleIdentification tip: Citrus thrips have
a yellow to light orangish body. They have no alternating
dark and light bands on their appendages, body, or
wings.

Western flower thripsIdentification tip: Flower thrips vary in color
but they are usually yellow to brownish on sticky cards in
citrus. Some individuals have brown abdominal bands. Flower thrips are harmless in citrus but sometimes are mistaken for citrus thrips.

Avocado thripsIdentification tip: Avocado thrips have a yellow
to pale orange abdomen and wing tips that at rest extend
beyond the abdomen. Unlike citrus thrips, avocado thrips
have three red spots atop their head, banded antennae, and
brown lines separating segments on the upperside and
underside of their body. Avocado thrips are not a pest of
citrus but may be trapped in citrus growing near avocado.

Sixspotted
thrips (natural enemy) Identification tip: Sixspotted thrips have
three dark blotches on each forewing. Their body
is whitish to pale yellow. This beneficial predator
is most often trapped when its pest mite prey are
abundant.

Onion thripsIdentification tip: Adults have a pale yellow
to light brown body and pale wings. Their eyes are gray and
antennae are 7 segmented (visible under magnification). Onion
thrips are not a pest in citrus but are often caught as they
have many broadleaved and grain crop hosts.

NeohydatothripsIdentification tip:Neohydatothrips burungae has
three red spots atop its head and brown bands on the
upperside of its abdomen. Neohydatothrips cannot
be reliably distinguished in the field from citrus
thrips or avocado thrips, Scirtothripsperseae,
which can be caught in citrus growing near avocado. Neohydatothrips has
been found on lemons and avocados in southern California,
but is of unknown importance.

Other Insects

AphidsIdentification tip: Adult aphids have long
legs and long antennae. Their wings are mostly clear,
with their forewings much larger than the hind wings.
In most aphid species, the forewing has a darker, elongate
cell along the front edge.

Psyllids
The exotic Asian
citrus psyllid(868 KB PDF) is
dark overall and has a brownish head and body, and dark mottled
wings. The darker colored Asian citrus psyllid spreads citrus
greening disease. Report to agricultural officials any new
or suspected exotic insects caught in traps.

Western flower thrips Identification tip: Distinguish among species of thrips
caught in sticky traps primarily based on color patterns. Bean thrips, citrus
thrips, and greenhouse thrips can
be pests. But western flower thrips (above) and certain other similar-looking
species are not pests in citrus. Other thrips species are beneficial
predators.

About
1/2 inch to 1 inch long

Glassy-winged sharpshooterIdentification tip: Adults are generally
dark brown to black when viewed from the top or side.
From underneath, their abdomen is whitish or yellow.
Compared to potato leafhopper and most other leafhoppers,
glassy-winged sharpshooter adults are relatively large,
about 0.5 inch (13 mm) long as shown here on a trap
with 1 inch (25 mm) grid lines.

AmorbiaIdentification tip: This pheromone-baited sticky
trap caught an adult amorbia, which is about 1 inch (25
mm) long. Species-specific attractants are available to
catch and identify the males for many pest species of moths
in citrus.

Light brown
apple mothIdentification tip: The light brown apple
moth is a new pest that has recently arrived in California.
Adults are about 1/2 inch long (13 mm), with varying
color, closely resembling adults of other leafrollers.
Unlike other leafroller moths, males have an expanded
outer edge of their wing (costal flap) that at rest
folds up over top of the wing (shown here beneath the
arrow). Report suspected light brown apple moths to
agricultural officials.

Citrus leafminerIdentification tip: Leafminer is a pale
moth. Its front wings are mostly white or silver with
black and tan markings. Leafminer also has a black
spot on the tip of each front wing.

Citrus peelminerIdentification tip: The adult peelminer
is a dark moth. Its front wings are mostly brown with
tan markings. Each tiny moth is about 0.15 inch (4
mm) long.

Photograph not available.

Potato leafhopperIdentification tip: The slender adults are
mostly pale and yellowish to light green when caught
in sticky traps. Leafhoppers have rows of spines on their
legs, which can be visible depending on their orientation
in traps. During late summer and fall, large numbers
may migrate into citrus to overwinter and cause
feeding scars on fruit rinds.

Vedalia beetlesIdentification tip: Vedalia beetles are small
predaceous lady beetles with black and red patterning.
The beetle is about 0.15 inch (4 mm) long, which is smaller
than the typical aphid-feeding lady beetles.

For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See our Home page, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance.